Lobelia plant named ‘Grülo 04’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lobelia  plant named ‘Grülo 04’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to cascading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; and light blue-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Lobelia richardii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Grülo 04’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant, botanically known as Lobelia richardii, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Grülo 04’.

The new Lobelia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Lobelia cultivars with a cascading habit, large flowers and attractive flower colors.

The new Lobelia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2002 of a proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii identified as code number IO 8, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii identified as code number IO 14, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lobelia was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within the resultant progeny from the above-mentioned cross-pollination in a controlled environment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands in August, 2002.

Asexual reproduction since September, 2002 of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this new Lobelia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Grülo 04’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Grülo 04’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading to cascading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Light blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lobelia and the female parent selection differ primarily in flower size as plants of the new Lobelia have larger flowers than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Lobelia and the male parent selection differ primarily in plants form as plants of the male parent selection are longer and have a more trailing plant habit.

Plants of the cultivar Grülo 04 can be compared to the cultivar Azuro, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,758. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Lobelia and the cultivar Azuro differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lobelia were larger than plants of the         cultivar Azuro.     -   2. Plants of the new Lobelia grew faster than plants of the         cultivar Azuro.     -   3. Plants of the new Lobelia had smaller leaves than plants of         the cultivar Azuro.     -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Lobelia were lighter blue in         color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Azuro.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Lobelia. The photograph comprises a side view of a typical plant of ‘Grülo 04’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Grülo 04 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and following description were grown in an outdoor nursery under conditions that closely approximate commercial production conditions during the spring and summer in 's-Gravenzande, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 14° C. and light levels ranged from 20,000 to 45,000 lux. Plants were pinched once during the production period. Plants were about four months from planting when the photographs and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Lobelia richardii cultivar Grülo 04. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii             identified as code number IO 8, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Lobelia richardii             identified as code number IO 14, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 8 to 10 days at 16° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About three to four weeks at 16° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched; color,             162C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading to             cascading plant habit; plants eventually become spherical in             form. Plants uniform and freely branching with lateral             branches potentially forming at every node; dense and bushy             plant habit; pinching plants enhances branching. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant length (soil level to lateral branches apices).—About             40 to 50 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 25 to 30 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity of primary lateral             branches: About 10 to 12. Length: About 25 to 30 cm.             Diameter: About 1 to 1.5 mm. Internode length: About 2 to             3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Basal             leaves: Length: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Width: About 2 to 2.4 cm.             Shape: Elliptic to oval. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute.             Margin: Crenate. Mid-plant and apical leaves: Length: About             3.5 to 4 cm. Width: About 1.6 to 1.8 cm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Crenate. Texture, all             leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation, all leaves: Pinnate. Color, all leaves: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 137C. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 138A. Fully developed foliage, upper surface: 137B;             venation, 138C. Fully developed foliage, lower surface:             137C; venation, 138C. Petiole length: About 8 to 10 mm.             Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Petiole color, upper and             lower surfaces: 138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Flowers arranged singly at lateral             apices. Flowers held mostly outwardly. Flowers not             persistent. Older flowers are overgrown by new flowers and             foliage. Early flowering; plants begin flower about ten             weeks after planting. Freely flowering, about 120 to 150             flowers and flowers buds per plant. Flowers not fragrant.         -   Flower shape.—Tubular with three larger lower petals and two             upright petals.         -   Natural flowering season.—From early spring until the autumn             in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Typically eight to ten days.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.5 to 1.8 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 to 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 to             4 mm. Shape: Oblong. Color: 154D.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, fused;             three larger lower petals and two smaller upper petals.             Three lower petals: Length, above throat: About 1.5 to             1.6 cm. Width: About 5 to 7 mm. Two upper petals: Length,             above throat: About 6 to 8 mm. Width: About 1 to 2 mm. Upper             and lower petals: Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper surface: 96B. When opening, lower             surface: 96D; tube, 97B. Fully opened, upper surface: 96B to             96C; circle at the center, 95A; color becoming closer to 95A             with development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: 95C;             tube, 97D with stripes, 95D. Tube length: About 1.5 cm.             Throat color: Close to 155A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five sepals,             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 8 to 10 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, immature, upper and lower surfaces: 144A.             Color, mature, upper and lower surfaces: 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 0.5 to             1 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Above             five. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: N200C.             Filament length: Less than 1 mm. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: 3B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 8 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color:             N200B. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color: N200B. Ovary             color: N200B. Seeds: Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About             0.5 mm. Shape: Spherical. Color: 200D. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lobelia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lobelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lobelia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures ranging from 0° C. to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lobelia plant named ‘Grülo 04’, as illustrated and described. 